Taking the Initiative
by Thorongirl
Summary: An apparent violation of the Truce between the Dharma Initiative and the Others ends badly for Richard.
1. DisOrientation

**Author's Note**: Shockingly enough, I'm still alive and morever - this is a switch for me as I am one of the biggest Lord of the Rings fans in the community. However, I did find myself rather taken with the Richard Alpert character from Lost the past few years and I thought it was time to start the short story that I've been itching to write. Sorry for disappointing my LOTR fans. Hope you aren't too jarred/disappointed by the (temporary) change in interests. As for you 'Lost' fans, I think I can make this interesting for you. Depending on the level of interest, I plan on writing between 5 and 10 thousand words overall. Even if there's not much interest, I'll finish this story. I just got through watching all five seasons again, after all!

No slash, some violence, mild language. And yes, some angst too...

**Chapter One**: Dis-Orientation

"Easy, Mr. Alpert. This won't hurt a bit."

Richard blinked rapidly, wincing at the harsh light overhead. He tried to sit up and gasped at the jolt of pain that washed over him.

Rough hands pushed him down and an oddly cheerful voice reassured him, "Now, really, there's no need to make a fuss. We're not going to do any permanent damage here." There was a slight pause at the word 'permanent'.

"We just need you to answer a few questions."

Questions? What was going on? Where was he? Muddled thoughts raced through his mind as the figure overhead rolled back Richard's sleeve. The lower part of the man's face was covered with a hospital mask. A doctor? Here? Disoriented, his mouth went dry at the image of another doctor, hair matted with blood, lying still at his feet.

The dark-haired man's eyes widened at the size of the needle as the unknown man approached and his body tensed in a futile attempt to avoid the sharp jab that followed.

A satisfied chuckle emanated from his captor's mouth as he spoke to the other men who held Richard down.

"Stupid Hostile. I can't believe our good luck. Never thought we'd catch this one."

"Well, Horace better not find out about it..."

"Screw Horace! You two keep your traps shut and he won't...but believe me, you'll be sorry if he does."

The man turned away from the sullen looks of his cohorts to face Richard, and slowly removed the mask. He smirked at the startled expression that flickered across the Hostile's face.

It was the little things that made his job worthwhile.

Richard slumped back against the table, its cold steel biting into him and he tried to suppress the shiver of fear that coursed through him. He was immortal, not impervious to pain.

For it was Oldham who smiled down at him. Oldham with his benign, almost kindly appearance. Oldham - the Dharma Initiative's bespeckled resident psychopath who held him captive.

* * *

_**Okay. What do you think? Should I continue? Does my insane desire to read a story wherein Richard suffers justify writing more? Reviews appreciated.**_


	2. The Sins of the Fathers

**Author's Note****:** I'm not sure that this story isn't far-fetched, but then most of **Lost** is.

**Chapter Two**: The Sins of the Fathers

The muted sounds of night had begun to fade away as Richard rose, unhurried. The trek across the Island was one he had made countless times and he relished the opportunity to be alone for the next several days. The tension between Eloise and Charles had become wearying of late and his doubts about their leadership, equally so.

He definitely preferred not to be in Ellie's company much these days, anyway. As much as he resisted being effected by them, Widmore's sarcastic comments about Ellie's interest in Richard being more than that of a friend, were becoming awkward.

Besides, since Charles' last trip to the Mainland, Richard himself had begun to wonder if Charles' suspicions were completely unwarranted. Her whole demeanor towards Richard had changed, uncomfortably so.

It would not do for things to become complicated. Jacob would not be pleased.

Richard washed in the nearby creek and then came back to his resting spot and got dressed. He pulled a small mirror from his pack and hooked it over a tree branch, staring matter-of-factly at his reflection as he applied his razor. He'd changed so much, yet so little, after all these years. The dark, thick beard and long, ill-kempt hair he had been accustomed to back in Tenerife had been replaced by the short hair and clean-shaven face of the present.

He wanted few reminders of his life with Isabella; her loss still pained him after all this time and it was only in rare cases that he abandoned his routine. His mouth twisted at little at the thought of how perfect his young wife had thought him to be. He snorted in self-contempt. He was glad she would never know what he had become.

Ah, well. There was no point in getting melancholy. He glanced up at the thick trees overhead, the sunlight just beginning to filter down through them. The soft trill of the Island's early rising birds quickly changed to a cacophony of sound. Richard hoisted his pack over his shoulders and began the long day's walk to the edge of the Dharma Initiative's territory.

oOo~~oOo

"What in the world were you thinking of, to let her go off like that without watching her?"

The distraught husband whirled around on his wife, his fists clenched.

"How can you say that to me? You told me you were watching her!" A moment later and the two were wrapped in each others' arms, sobbing. The husband stroked his wife's hair.

"It'll be all right, I tell you. We'll find her. It's just too dangerous being out in the jungle at night, and you know it." The wife wailed at the irony of his words. "But she's so little! If it's dangerous for us, how much worse is it for..." She began sobbing again.

Horace Goodspeed shrugged helplessly. They'd been up all night, unable to sleep and now that dawn had finally come, they could finally launch their search. Sometimes people became complacent; they just really didn't appreciate how dangerous the Island was. The freckle-faced father and his wife had thought it would be, as the put it, "a gas" to go on a picnic outside the perimeter fence and they had bribed some idiot to let them do it! It would be a one-way ticket back to the Mainland when they found out who was responsible for this travesty.

"I don't know, Hoss. You should've let me look last night, don't matter how dangerous the jungle is. There's no tellin' where she might be by now!" Only respect for Horace had kept the shaggy-haired man from going off on his own the night before. The Initiative's Head of Security, Jim LaFleur, shook his head in frustration. "Hell, she's probably just curled up under a tree." He walked over to the parents.

"Now look here, folks. I know you ain't been here long, but I already took a shine to that little darlin' of yours and I'm gonna look for her like she's one of my own." LaFleur spoke gruffly, trying hard to keep the rising fear out of his voice. "We're family here, right?" He motioned towards his crew. It was time to start.

"And family don't let family down, do they?"

oOo~~oOo

Richard peered around, reveling in the solitude and beauty of the jungle. No matter what the circumstances by which he came here, he could not blame the creation for them. He had spent another night in a makeshift tent near the Dharma territory but now it was time to move on. He knew that here, at least, he should not expect any problems with them. Horace Goodspeed had at least had the common sense to negotiate a Truce that Richard (and Jacob) could live with, however temporarily. Charles and Ellie tolerated it because they had no choice. Still, they had learned that not all members of the Dharma Initiative always respected the Truce. It was Richard's duty to make sure that they did.

A short time later, Richard halted in his tracks, wondering at the strange sound ahead. It was unlike anything he remembered hearing before on this Island. Had the Dharma Initiative brought even more animals here to perform their bizarre experiments? He couldn't help the flare of anger that surged through him. Whatever the reasons they gave for being here, the crux of it was he was convinced they did not have the Island's best interests in mind.

Indeed, there had been occasions when some of his people had disappeared for days and couldn't fully account for their whereabouts when they returned. He had no doubt that there was something more sinister in the Dharma Initiative's presence than Horace Goodspeed would have them believe. Hushed, frightened whispers about a man named Oldham were an underlying thread in the conversations of those who had returned, outwardly unharmed. But Charles scoffed that they were allowing the Dharma Initiative to spook them, and Richard's 'friendly' visit to Oldham had turned up nothing. Still, the rumors persisted.

Coincidentally or not, there were no more incidents with Oldham after Richard's visit.

He ducked behind a large tree. His reflexes were quick and he seldom found himself in a tight spot, but the sounds he heard were definitely foreign and they were getting closer. He waited, tense. Perhaps whatever it was would not notice him. He drew his gun as the mysterious creature stepped onto the path.

Richard cursed softly, and he quickly lowered his gun and sheathed it back in the holster. Chubby hands rubbing a tear-streaked face and the wildly snarled red hair of a little girl came into his sight. He glanced behind her, listening to make sure no one was following her and met her gaze. She stared at him, open-mouthed, eyes wide with fear. One of the Dharma Initiative's children, he assumed.

But what on earth was she doing way out here?

He crouched down on one knee.

"Are you all right?" She brought one hand up to her mouth, eyes spilling over with tears, and hiccupped.

"I...I think so." She sniffled. "I'm scared."

"Come here. I won't hurt you."

Richard wanted as little contact with the members of the Dharma Initiative as possible but he supposed it wouldn't be right to leave an innocent child out here. He motioned her towards him again. The girl took a few halting steps towards him, eyes big and hopeful. When she was close, he drew a kerchief from his pocket and gently wiped her face.

But what _should_ he do? Should he take her back to his camp? He quickly dismissed the idea. Charles was too unpredictable. Besides, he had enough sins on his hands. Sometimes Richard thought Jacob was a hard master. As for this small child - the sins of the fathers should not be the sins of the children. He would have to find a way to get her back without drawing any attention from the Dharma group.

Richard was startled when the child suddenly threw her arms around him and hugged him, her little body trembling with relief. He almost smiled.

"Your mommy and daddy are probably worried about you..."

"Charlotte. I'm Charlotte."

"Well, like I was saying, Charlotte, your mommy and daddy are probably worried about you. Would you like me to take you to them?"

"Oh, yes! Please!" Charlotte clapped her hands. The nice man with the pretty eyelashes was going to take her home.

**Author's Note**: Get used to me changing things up a bit; I'm a perfectionist but a lot of times I don't spy my mistakes until AFTER I publish a story. Anyways, I think you can guess just how Richard gets himself into his "situation" now, can't you? I have the whole story plot outlined and figured out, so I actually know where this one is going and we'll get back to events in the opening chapter in chapter three. BTW, have sent replies via PM to other reviewers. What follows is for those I couldn't reply to:

Sioneva: Don't worry. I would *never* kill Mr. Eyeliner. I love him too much. Hope this chapter isn't disappointing. I need lots more time to write and I just don't have it!

Sedoura: Love your stories so am flattered that you reviewed. I have lots of idea to work with on this story, so hope I don't disappoint.

Reviews would be lovely.


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